The Romanian photographer Andrei Pandele has just come out with a book titled ‘Surprise Witness’ with pictures of Ceausescu’s Bucharest. Just fascinating!

“Obviously, we were not allowed to denounce Communism and precious few people could even comprehend its bogus rules and regulations, much less subvert slavery and find a way to express themselves. Even snapping and charming, everyday photo posed a problem. Because we had simply lost our bearings. Needless to say, any ‘political’ photography was strictly forbidden, unless officially approved. But clandestine creativity was less easy to prevent. Thus appeared Andrei Pandele, someone who systematically and subversively photographed anything and everything, with the precision of a craftsman and the discipline of a Professional. A gritty realist, but above all an artist. His range is vast – this book is no mere collection of the macabre or ghoulish. Andrei Pandele is also intrigued by lives suspended precariously above the abyss, by time and space, by the poetry of everyday objects, by things words cannot convey”. Petru Romosan.